The final instalment, Deathly Hallows Part 2, is a bravura duel between good and evil. It's also a cathartic, occasionally clunky nostalgiafest.

For 10 years and eight films we've gotten to watch these young actors grow as people, as performers and as characters. It has been a true coming-of-age saga, in the fullest and most moving sense of the term.

The grand finish, if not always inspired, feels necessary. In a sustained, imaginative way, this is the best of any movie series.

This is better than a lot of the previous films in the series. Despite some messy CGI, some of the performances (particularly Rickman) that I quite liked.